Downtown Hartford Residential Projects

[The Voice of Reason]

Being downtown on Sunday for the parade was pretty cool.

 

For SO MANY people it was their first time downtown since 2004?  or at least first time just hanging out in the streets for a long time!

 

I hear just so many people making comments and asking eachother questions about some of the different buildings and what they were.

 

I was in front of 55 on the park, and there were a good number of people chillin in their apartments cheering out the windows.  Same can be said for Trumbull on the park.  On the park, Also have people on the roof.

 

the shole area at the bottom of Trumbull looked good.  and people noticed.  even the players waved to the people up in the buildings.

 

in short, I think it reminded people of the big city feel of a NY parade, or a Boston Parade.

 

 

Many businesses also opened for the event, or opened earlier.  Its always great when the business community pays attention.

 

there were of course still missed opportunities.   (I think JoJo's was closed)  Starbucks was closed, I think the Russell and Tamarind were closed, but that newish sandwich place on Pratt and Woodys were both open, as was Vaughns, but thats normal. 

Still sad to see the closed places though.

.... all in all Pratt was a fairly sad place.

 

Citysteam opened early I noticed, which is good.  Sorello was open, as was Dish, and that lounge next to the residence inn.

 

TK, blackbear, blackeyed sallys Burger king, vitos, Salute, Hot Tomatos, all were open and I read about the russian lady being fully open and packed.

 

this is a great showing in general.

 

I also got to talk to the lady opening a shoe store on Pratt where Blimpies was...

A ladies shoe store.

 

this will be a big hit I think due to the office worker population and the generally nice fancy shoes that the ladies wear.

 

 

 

Part of what I loved about the parade and why I put it in this thread is because I think people got to see the strides that Hartford has made and continues to make.

 

A significant part of the growd parked at the convention center and walked through front street, so they all saw the construction over there. 

 

you literally cant miss the fact that work started at Bears BBQ next to Arch and you cant miss the open places, or Teds fully under construction, or infinity hall, or Nix...  I mean these all have obvious work happening and large poster signs declaring "coming soon"

 

after walking past that they walked past the new apartment construction signs which include a rendering...  These things CANT BE MISSED.

 

pretty cool that 10-20K people walked past all that yesterday.

 

Craploads more saw the work on the Clarion and the work on 179 Allyn Street (its extremely obvious work)

 

While I am certain many more left the city thinking "how Ghetto"  and commented on the "thugs" roaming the streets (because they were based on steriotypical perception)

 

I am excited that at least a small percentage of the 200,000 people downtown on Sunday left the city with a better perception that they came in with.  and heck, maybe they might even return!  (also, there were a huge number of out of state plates flooding into town for the parade, so its a larger impact than you might think)

 

 

[beerbeer]

I was in town for the UConn spring football game. Stayed at the Marriott and had dinner at Capital Grill.  I also took a walk around town on Friday night about 7 PM. It was raining lightly but there was still pedestrian traffic around the city. 

 

The construction at the Sonesta is a little under the radar as it's all inside.  The Front Street apartments are still at at ground level. And 777 Main hasn't started.  So while those projects are significant, they don't represent activity for the average passerby -yet. 

 

Front Street was active with the Capital Grill and Spotlight looking like they are both doing very good business as was the Arch.     Same on Trumbull Street, the restaurant and bars near the park were very full.  The retail stores on the ground level of On the Park were completely occupied.  If they ever get 111 Pearl off the ground this will be a major locust of activity.

 

Next year at this time, there should be an incremental increase in street life.

[Luca Brasi]

Many businesses also opened for the event, or opened earlier.  Its always great when the business community pays attention.

 

there were of course still missed opportunities.   (I think JoJo's was closed)  Starbucks was closed, I think the Russell and Tamarind were closed, but that newish sandwich place on Pratt and Woodys were both open, as was Vaughns, but thats normal. 

Still sad to see the closed places though.

.... all in all Pratt was a fairly sad place.

 

Whoever planned the parade dropped the ball. The parade should have gone by the businesses/restaurants on Main and then Asylum benefitting those two corridors and also Pratt and Trumbull. The existing paarde route doesn't do much for businesses downtown at all. I know a few business owners who felt it wouldn't be worth opening. It was great seeing 200,000 people downtown... it would have better if they were in the heart of downtown.

[The Voice of Reason]

Luca, thats a tough one.

 

Honestly, any place that was open was busy, so I dont buy the route being a factor.

 

people had to park all over the place, so Businesses along Cap Ave did well as did businesses up close to 84 on Main.  As I said citysteam, and that lounge next door were packed.  even large patio crowds at both.  Vaughns looked busy also, but since its small, its always looking pretty busy.

 

The point being that leaving the streets open allowed for people to get into downtown easier and any place that was open still got plenty of opportunity for earning business.

 

I am completely fine with the parade route.

I will say that there is however an opportunity for more park front businesses to open and I think that may just happen in the next few years. 

[The Voice of Reason]

 

Next year at this time, there should be an incremental increase in street life.

 

Thinking about the AAC tournament next year and hopefully a Womans NCAA championship parade...

 

I can see the more visible changes being more evident for sure.  Too bad spring of 2016 is going to be season with the most drastic difference in energy level for downtown.

[The Voice of Reason]

The conversion of Burger baby's building to housing has stalled or something

 

 

the below is an agenda item on the CRDA web site.

 

289 Asylum – Expiration of Assistance

 

 

[The Voice of Reason]

This was the agenda for Fridays housing comittee meeting

 

Friday, June 6, 2014

9:00am

• Approval of Minutes of May 16, 2014

• 360 Main Street

• 36-40 Elm Street

• 36 Lewis Street

• Hartford Office Supply

 

 

360 main street I think is that office building on main and buckingham.  pretty big building

 

elm and lewis we know and are small projents.   must be ready to get financing.

 

HOS has been on the agenda before.   I wonder whats up?

 

[The Voice of Reason]

With financing in the bag I bet they just wait to finish of 179 Allyn and see how it rents before starting this.

 

You never know though they may just start it because of market confidence.   either way... GREAT news for the city to bag another project fully financed and the fact that its on the edge of downtown is great.  this area is becoming more mixed income so adding this apartment will accelerate the gentrification.

 

80% market rate

no mention of unit #s in article but I can only assume its still 114

 

If we can start to see more developments like this it is the begining of populating the Southern edge of the park.  

 

 

http://www.courant.com/business/real-estate/hc-hartford-conn-apartments-capitol-avenue-20140620,0,1525297.story

[beerbeer]

360 Main also goes by the name Adrian's Tower.  Since it is already an apartment building...?

[Siedler von Hartford]

So the minutes for the full CRDA board meeting for June are up.  We have details on 360 Main Street:

 

360 Main Street

"This is a new project that aims to convert inefficient and underperforming commercial space into 20 units, 16 of them as ‘micro’ units."

 

Very interesting the experiment with microunits.  I know they are being building in Boston and New York, but those are places where land is prohibitively expensive.  Not sure how successful they will be. 

 

It is also nice to see the smaller projects (36 Lewis and 38-42 Elm) getting some lift now that the historical tax credit rules are clarified. 

 

There was an included an estimation on the progress of the current projects:

201 Ann Street – approximately 50% complete

179 Allyn – approximately 50% complete

5 Constitution (Sonesta) approximately 40% completion, target date Spring 2015

777 Main Street Under Construction

Front St. - Steel is going up

 

http://crdact.net/data/Unsorted/6-19-2014-DRAFT-_BoardMtbMinutes-72474-1.pdf

[beerbeer]

Here's the HBJ article on it.  http://www.hartfordbusiness.com/article/20140707/PRINTEDITION/307039976/1002

 

The micro units will each be 300 square feet, complete with their own day bed or Murphy bed, which folds up into the wall creating extra living space during the day. The units will also have a mini-kitchen with a stove top, convection microwave, and mini-fridge; a television; WiFi; and a bathroom. Mouta anticipates charging $725-$795 for each unit with all utilities included. All residents must sign at least a one-year lease.

"They are designed and constructed in ways where there is no need for furniture," said Michael Freimuth, executive director of the Capital Region Development Authority, which is helping finance the housing conversion. "We looked into it in larger cities, and this has become a strategy that is very successful."

[beerbeer]

The apartments at Front Street.

 

[gtru1981]

The apartments at Front Street.

 

I walked by this on Thursday while taking a stroll throw the city, it's coming along pretty well.

I feel like this area will be the "it" place for downtown. The apartments, uconn, front street filling up will be great for the city.

[HartfordTycoon]

I'm feeling really optimistic about the future of Downtown as a residential neighborhood. I want to vent a bit about what I consider to be a rising chorus of nonsense coming from some in Hartford's activist class. The protests over the stadium and accusations that new development is going to force Hartford's current residents out or that it's intended for outsiders to enjoy just ring so hollow to me. Next to nobody lived downtown a decade ago. Nobody is being pushed out of downtown because there was not anyone there to begin with. I understand some of the sensitivity surounding gentrification and what is happening in places like Brooklyn and DC, but Hartford is not even close to having those issues yet. In my opinion, if we have that problem in 10 years, it would mean that Hartford's fortunes would have risen considerably. It would mean that Hartford is viewed as trendy and desirable and that the population has started to grow. That is where I want Hartford to be and then we can deal with those problems. Not now. Now we need to keep building.

[Luca Brasi]

Couldn't agree more. For whatever reason, the people complaining and protesting everything want everything to stay the way it's been? Sorry, but the way it's been sucks. If they succeed in killing the stadium deal and preventing any resulting development from happening (like the Hooker Brewery), what is their plan B?? This is the best shot to right the wrongs of the 1960s that caused this wasteland of parking lots. When will the next opportunity present itself??

Sometimes I swear people say "no" just to feel that they have a voice.

[HartfordTycoon]

Couldn't agree more. For whatever reason, the people complaining and protesting everything want everything to stay the way it's been? Sorry, but the way it's been sucks. If they succeed in killing the stadium deal and preventing any resulting development from happening (like the Hooker Brewery), what is their plan B?? This is the best shot to right the wrongs of the 1960s that caused this wasteland of parking lots. When will the next opportunity present itself??

Sometimes I swear people say "no" just to feel that they have a voice.

 

I think they do. It also feels very much like a small town mindset to me. Like Hartford is only for Hartford people and we don't need to attract new people from our suburbs and beyond. These people have no idea what a thriving, growing city should be like or if they do, they really don't want that for Hartford.

[Hollin.Tolland]

I think they do. It also feels very much like a small town mindset to me. Like Hartford is only for Hartford people and we don't need to attract new people from our suburbs and beyond. These people have no idea what a thriving, growing city should be like or if they do, they really don't want that for Hartford.

I know; let's wall off downtown, DoNo, SoDo, riverfront and Asylum Hill. Then only allow access by sentries at toll gates off of 84, 91 and 2. If you live in Clay Arsenal, Upper Albany, Frog Hollow, etc. $5 to get in. Heck, most of that segregation was already laid out by Lady Fox Auerbach 50 years ago, no?

[The Voice of Reason]

That protest was utter BS

 

less that 50 people.  it seemed clearly organized my someone who had ulterior motives

 

 

also, why was it front page news?

 

we should organize a Pro Stadium march.... problem is all theose supporters are working and dont have time.

[The Voice of Reason]

I walked by this on Thursday while taking a stroll throw the city, it's coming along pretty well.

I feel like this area will be the "it" place for downtown. The apartments, uconn, front street filling up will be great for the city.

 

Friday night I had a friend in town and with my wife we walked a bit of downtown from Main street down to Black eyed Sallys and back.   We also drove past this building as we left town because thats just the easiest way home for me.

 

A few things.  Since this guy is moving to the area and interested in economic development to a degree I pointed out the building projects that we passed by.

777 Main Street, 101 Pearl and then of course this new construction on Front Street (Plus the Uconn Site) as we left town.

Mind you these three projects are likely the most impressive ones we have, he was pretty damn impressed and I have to say thats pretty Cool to have a complete out of towner impressed with the potential future of downtown Hartford.

 

 

Regarding The new apartments at Front Street.  

 

WOW!!! this is a massive building.

I mean the steel is pretty well topped out and its just frekin massive in scale.  

as stated before it comes right to the street, but it has no setbacks which we knew.   but the result is from sitting in a car kinda oversized.

I dont think a 6-7 story building is oversized for this lot, just that in its raw steel form it looks like it might be pushing the edges a bit hard.

 

everything Front street has been done with frugality in mind, so I suspect they are maximizing square footage while keeping costs down.  

 

I am optomistic that its going to look pretty good there.  the renderings were pretty nice, so I think we have have a decent looking if not a little bland big apartment box here. 

 

What I like though is again its size.  Its much taller than I thought it would be and for that reason I am pleased.  I was concerned that the design looked too short and squat, but the steel has changed my mind.  it looks pretty good from a few angles in terms of massing except maybe again, a little crouding of the sidewalk.

 

but to be fair, thats not an issue anywhere else downtown, its just that with this building its not in live with the other buildings on the street.

The retail should resolve that nicely

[The Voice of Reason]

At this point in Hartfords evolution, we may be 5+ years from any new construction proposals.

Check out these perfect office conversion possibilities

1: Hotel on the Plaza to 193 units (supposedly going to cost less than 20-40 million

2: Hollander 2.0 40+ Apartments 20 million

3: 95-101 Pearl 36-130 apartments for 18-24 million Who knows?

4: 111 Pearl condos or hotel, maybe apartments, this thing has been around the block, but I am betting on less than 50 apts $20Million?

5: Corner of High and Allyn (same size as hollanders first building, so 70 apartments?) 25 Million

6: 777 Main Street (up to 26 million in asbestose removal, but otherwise probably 30 or so million

7: Corner of Asylum and Ann (small building that used to house one of the magnate schools) maybe 40 apartments 5-10 million

8: 242 Trumbull (lot likely to be converted for a long while because its a nice office space, but is a perfect apartment at 8 stories on Pratt and Trumbull, location is IDEAL!!

9: 750 Main this is the ideal conversion as its just class B office in a sweet location with a gret look to it and even a penthouse allready there. would surely hold 100+ apartments, but likely cost quite a bit as well

10: 55 Elm (150+ apartments, $40+ million conversion, but probably the most potential in hartford with the location and if IQuilt expands the park and kills the circle, this is just amazing) 143K SF on the 2nd-7th floor

11: 79 Elm 100 apartments on the park 30+ million to convert this (currently state offices)

12: lofts on Capital over by Lawrence St. 117 lofts, cost was to be like 20Million

13: Capewell 100 apartments

14: Colt (this one is a little expensive, so maybe building new is easier)

 

I saw this and found it interesting to fast forward almost 3 years:

Of the 14 items I listed here 9 are actually happening or at least looking like they may happen.   The remaining 5 (in red) buildings are all still in active use for other purposes, so they are more of a stretch.

pretty cool to think how much a few years changed, and I hope that if a new list were made it would show that new construction is almost certainly a requirement for future housing developments over the next 5 or so years.   The baseball stadium development being prime evidence to this. (and Front Street and 3 CP of course)

[Hollin.Tolland]

Friday night I had a friend in town and with my wife we walked a bit of downtown from Main street down to Black eyed Sallys and back. We also drove past this building as we left town because thats just the easiest way home for me.

A few things. Since this guy is moving to the area and interested in economic development to a degree I pointed out the building projects that we passed by.

777 Main Street, 101 Pearl and then of course this new construction on Front Street (Plus the Uconn Site) as we left town.

Mind you these three projects are likely the most impressive ones we have, he was pretty damn impressed and I have to say thats pretty Cool to have a complete out of towner impressed with the potential future of downtown Hartford.

Regarding The new apartments at Front Street.

WOW!!! this is a massive building.

I mean the steel is pretty well topped out and its just frekin massive in scale.

as stated before it comes right to the street, but it has no setbacks which we knew. but the result is from sitting in a car kinda oversized.

I dont think a 6-7 story building is oversized for this lot, just that in its raw steel form it looks like it might be pushing the edges a bit hard.

everything Front street has been done with frugality in mind, so I suspect they are maximizing square footage while keeping costs down.

I am optomistic that its going to look pretty good there. the renderings were pretty nice, so I think we have have a decent looking if not a little bland big apartment box here.

What I like though is again its size. Its much taller than I thought it would be and for that reason I am pleased. I was concerned that the design looked too short and squat, but the steel has changed my mind. it looks pretty good from a few angles in terms of massing except maybe again, a little crouding of the sidewalk.

but to be fair, thats not an issue anywhere else downtown, its just that with this building its not in live with the other buildings on the street.

The retail should resolve that nicely

For Front Street--I'm also wondering about the tiny

tiny courtyard abutting the Elks Lodge. Wouldn't it have made more sense opened up on Front Street facing UConns buildings? I haven't put the two renderings side by side, though.

[The Voice of Reason]

Like ten or so thousand other people, I went to Pipes in the Valley on Saturday on the riverfront.

 

At 11 AM when we came into downtown

there were 3 crews "sand blasting" 777 Main Street. 

There was a crane loading or unloading stuff from the top of Travelers mid rise buildings

There was wild and crazy construction at the Clarion site

There were construction fences and a total ruckus on Constitution Plaza as they apparently ripped up the plaza.

Also there was some work near the Front Street Apartments, just couldnt see it.

 

 

So essentially all of downtown seemed buzzing with construction.  it really was super impressive

 

so somewhere between 10 and 15 thousand people came into this environment and im sure were impressed or at least made curious... Heck, I am aware of all the projects and I was impressed, so i cant imagine the thoughts of a visitor.

 

Thinking next year for this event many of these projects will be complete, or nearly so. 

 

 

 

 

[beerbeer]

Interesting article on downtown housing. Some very perception comments about the housing that will surround the ball park which will NOT have low income units.

 

http://www.hartfordbusiness.com/article/20141013/PRINTEDITION/310109950/a-balanced-housing-policy-for-hartford

[beerbeer]

Another interesting and very optimistic article on Hartford apartments. It's in the HBJ excerpt below.

 

According to Axiometrics, the 11,487 Hartford-area apartment units tracked in its latest third-quarter 2014 survey in September, boasted 97 percent occupancy. That compares to an occupancy rate of 95.1 percent for the entire nation in the same period.

 

A year earlier, the Hartford region's third-quarter occupancy rate was 96 percent; and 94.4 percent in the same period in 2009 – the height of the recession. It, too, was a period when rising home foreclosures forced more households to seek shelter in apartments and other rentals.Other Axiometrics data show the Hartford region's effective rents for the surveyed units as of this September was $1,244 a month, up 3.6 percent from September 2013. Nationally, September apartment rents averaged $1,171, a 4 percent gain from a year ago.

 

Boston's WinnCompanies manages three downtown Hartford living spaces: ArtSpace Hartford, Lofts at Main and Temple and The Hollander Building. According to Andrew Lund, senior vice president at its WinnResidential unit, its Hartford properties' occupancy rates average better than 95 percent. Also, Lund said, they have been successful in passing along modest rent hikes as leases come up for renewal.

 

All of which bodes well for the apartments coming onto the market in 2015.

[beerbeer]

Ann Street apartments start to rent next month.  "The Grand" will open (alll one bedrooms) in December.

 

As the article says, it is the first barometer of the appetite for downtown housing.

 

 

http://www.courant.com/real-estate/property-line/hc-downtown-hartford-connecticut-apartments-leasing-20141115-story.html#page=1

Edited November 15, 2014 by beerbeer